A mobile-phone trap to catch the Kosovar Three kilograms of drugs seized. Three traffickers arrested, including the head of the network Xheko to Berisha: the DP “disowns” Hajdari TIRANA - The head of the drug-trafficking operation in Tirana has been arrested. Police seized three kilograms of heroin and arrested three drug traffickers. Among them are two Kosovars, one of whom is 38-year-old Egër Sokol from Prizren. He is suspected of being the head of the drug-trafficking operation that runs from Albania to Western countries. The drugs are worth around 40 million German marks. The two Kosovars denied having them in their possession. Meanwhile, the Albanian man also revealed the route taken by the white powder. The drugs came from Turkey—the Albanian police now also have the name of the Turkish trafficker, who supplied the Eastern market—and passed through Macedonia and Albania before ending up in the West, mainly in Germany, where the Kosovar apparently also had a distribution network. Meanwhile, the police have launched a huge investigation that looks set to extend beyond Albania’s borders. A Kosovar ran the drug-trafficking operation that passed through Albania on its way to the West. The drugs were worth around 40 million German marks. The drugs came from Turkey, passed through Macedonia and Albania, and then went on to the West, mainly Germany. The Albanian police also have the name of the Turkish trafficker. Photo P. Ilo

Assassination attempt: a new line of investigation? Aftermath of the explosion TIRANA—Builders are repairing the wounds of the apartment building damaged by the blast. Yesterday, at the foundations of the building where the explosion occurred, municipal officials took the place of forensic experts to determine the extent of the damage and the number of apartments requiring repairs. Meanwhile, the search for those responsible continues. It is understood that a new line of investigation has been opened, ruling out the political theory. However, official sources have not confirmed this. (Photo: H. Pustina) On page 5 Aftermath of the explosion (Photo: H. Pustina)

TIRANA - “This is not an initiative of the DP, but a hasty action by Hajdari that we cannot understand.” Yesterday, signals of disapproval came from the Democrats’ headquarters regarding the campaign launched by Azem Hajdari in search of the “usurper” of the BSPSH. There was no approval from the President either. President Berisha met with a delegation of the unions representing these workers, who wanted to discuss the issues raised during the latest strike, and assured them of his support in meeting their demands. But neither the DP’s critical tone nor the fact that a statement from the press office of the Presidency’s chairman described Xheka as Chairman of the Independent Trade Unions shook Hajdari’s resolve. “Valer Xheka does not represent my union, and I consider his meeting with Berisha a private matter,” Hajdari declared. The morning hours of the previous day witnessed tension and turmoil inside the BSPSH building, which the presence of the police alone prevented from escalating into a clash. On page 3

Stopped by police before departure They were headed for Italy and paid USD 5,000 each VLORA - The Kurds have been turned back once again. Police stopped 48 undocumented migrants near Vlora—they were travelling on a bus with Durrës plates and, after the initial investigations, were sent to Tirana for further inquiries. Two other Albanians, who were acting as facilitators of the clandestine trafficking, have also been arrested. Investigators examining the case have no doubt about the Kurds’ intended route: they were aiming for the Italian coast. Each had paid five thousand dollars. On page 3

Shkodër: there were hundreds of cartons SHKODËR - They used the name of a senior government official from Tirana to secure the passage of a quantity of smuggled cigarettes, but the illegal goods were seized. This happened at the Morini customs post in Kukës in June this year, and the investigation into five military personnel implicated in the affair has now been completed. Two inspectors, one customs officer and two soldiers, all serving at the Morini post, are expected to appear in court very soon. Their trial will be held in a military court. Economists have estimated that the shipment of hundreds of cartons of Cooper cigarettes is worth around 110,000 dollars. On page 5

FIER On page 5

TIRANA On page 5

FIER On page 5

ENTERTAINMENT TIRANA - The premiere of the famous opera by the French composer Bizet will be performed. On page 4

FROM THE WORLD Kristofer and wish to, but will stay until January. On page 2

Two historic houses and a luxury restaurant gutted - A night of terror in Berat. A huge fire broke out after midnight in the city’s historic district, near the castle, and completely gutted a restaurant and two homes protected as cultural monuments. A group of other houses nearby was also endangered, and the Onufri Museum itself was only ten metres away. Firefighters worked for hours, but the lack of water in their tanks at the outset contributed to the extent of the damage. A police and Onufri Museum service officer on patrol, along with two others, witnessed the incident at around 01:55 on Thursday. He saw a huge tongue of flame rise from Robert Merdari’s restaurant, which had closed a short time earlier. No one was inside the restaurant. The firefighters arrived at the scene just 20 minutes later, but their tanks were empty. They had hoped to get water from the castle’s pipes, but found none there. They were therefore forced to turn back and lost a precious hour, during which the fire spread further. Two private homes were also engulfed in flames. The other residents living near the fire fled outside. All the residents living near the fire fled outside. All the residents living near the fire fled outside. A police and Onufri Museum service officer on patrol witnessed the incident. Two historic houses and a luxury restaurant were destroyed by the fire. The incident caused extensive damage, but the fire was extinguished after firefighters intervened. In the morning, an investigative team from the Berat police station went to the scene. The cause of the fire is being investigated, and a commission has also been set up to assess the damage accurately. Hali Tafa

Hafizi’s sons served in Tirana On page 6

CULTURE On page 7